Edinburgh International Book Festival Introduces Access Improvements for 2019

Edinburgh International Book Festival today confirmed a range of innovative plans to make it easier for people with a variety of access needs to enjoy visiting the Festival this summer.

Article Source: Edinburgh International Book Festival
Last Updated: 10 July 2019 16:17

Edinburgh International Book Festival today confirmed a range of innovative plans to make it easier for people with a variety of access needs to enjoy visiting the Festival this summer. With the support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery and House of Hearing, the Book Festival is building on the award-winning improvements made over previous years, doubling the number of captioned and BSL interpreted events, improving wheelchair accessibility around the Book Festival village, creating special events for children and adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities and designating a number of events as Pay What You Can.

Sophie Moxon, Executive Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival said “Making the Book Festival welcoming and accessible for all our visitors, whatever their needs or means, is extremely important to us. Whether you’re coming to an event, to browse our bookshops, or just to enjoy the sunshine in the Gardens the Book Festival is a friendly space to visit with welcoming staff and events and activities to suit everyone. We are immensely proud to have won the Euan’s Guide Accessible Tourism Award for Best Pop Up Venue for the last three years and strive to keep improving every year.”

New innovations for 2019 include a wheelchair ramp from street level to provide easy access to Charlotte Square Gardens, and two new members of the Book Festival team based at the Information Desk in the Entrance Tent who will liaise directly with any visitors with additional needs and provide any assistance required. A Changing Places accessible toilet will be available in Charlotte Square Gardens alongside disabled toilets in both the Gardens and on George Street. Additional baby changing facilities have also been provided in close proximity to the new interactive children’s area and bi-lingual events for younger readers in Gaelic/English and Polish/English have also been added to the programme for the first time.

In previous years the Book Festival has included Captioned and British Sign Language interpreted events and in 2019 there will be twice as many with twelve BSL Interpreted events scheduled in the Adult programme and three in the Baillie Gifford Children’s programme. These currently include Ian Rankin, Ruth Davidson and Horrid Henry author Francesca Simon however BSL interpretation can be requested (before 26 July) for any event in the programme. In addition, fourteen events across the Adult programme including those featuring Sofie Hagen, Benjamin Zephaniah and Victoria Hislop, and four in the Children’s programme including Clare Balding and Elmer’s Big Birthday with David McKee, will be captioned and three will be both BSL interpreted and captioned – Julian Clary & David Roberts, Mark Haddon and Sue Perkins. There are infrared hearing systems in almost all theatres and visitors can borrow headsets free of charge.

The 2019 programme will also see several events tailored specifically for children and adults with learning disabilities including a free and drop-in Sensory Storytelling day at the Festival’s Story Box, and an interactive session with Mel Darbon whose wonderful book Rosie Loves Jack is told from the perspective of a girl with Downs Syndrome. An additional event, organised in collaboration with PAMIS (Promoting a more inclusive society), ARC Scotland (Association for Real Change) and NIN (National Involvement Network) will feature author Philip Ardagh and a host of sensory elements as Philip brings his characters Stick and Fetch, two unusual detectives, to life. Philip will be recreating this event in the Baillie Gifford Schools Programme for pupils of all ages with additional needs.

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “We are incredibly proud that as a result of funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery that even more people will be able to easily access the Book Festival space in Charlotte Square Gardens and George Street enabling them to join the almost 260,000 visitors who enjoy the tented village each year.”

Twenty events across the 2019 Book Festival programme have been designated as Pay What You Can, a pricing structure designed to help make the Book Festival accessible for those with limited means. While most tickets are priced at £12, for Pay What You Can events audience members can choose to pay an amount anywhere between £0 and £25. Those who elect to pay more for their tickets are generously supporting the Festival’s efforts to provide financial flexibility for those who most need it.

Other innovations for 2019 include a new online film giving guidance on how to visit the Book Festival for those who may be nervous about coming to the Festival for the first time, an Easy Read Guide, noise-reducing ear defenders and Additional Needs badges for those with additional or hidden needs.

Details of all the above can be found on the Access page of the Book Festival website: www.edbookfest.co.uk/visiting-the-festival/access

The Edinburgh International Book Festival runs from 10 to 26 August 2019 in Charlotte Square Gardens and the West End of George Street in the heart of the city. The Festival village, and all venues, bars, bookshops and cafes are all fully accessible. The Book Festival is free to enter, and while most events do require a ticket, there are free events throughout the day from Ten at Ten first thing in the morning to Unbound with Edinburgh Gin at the end of the evening. The full programme is available on the website - www.edbookfest.co.uk – and tickets are on sale online, by phone 0345 373 5888 or in person at The Hub, Castlehill until Friday 5 August, when the Book Festival Box Office opens in George Street.

Got a story to share? Send us an email at hello[@]whatsonnetwork.co.uk

Latest Edinburgh News

Enlightenment an Immersive Experience set to transform McEwan Hall in Edinburgh

Swiss art collective PROJEKTIL brings its vivid light and sound show to Edinburgh from 31 January, following acclaimed runs in Glasgow, Liverpool and Leeds

Edinburgh International Book Festival and Celtic Connections unveil major new partnership

Edinburgh International Book Festival and Celtic Connections unveil major new partnership bringing together Scotland's most celebrated writers and musicians!

Hogmanay celebrations at Lost Shore set to kick 2026 off with a bang

Lost Shore Surf Resort, Europe’s largest inland surf destination, is gearing up for a spectacular start to 2026 with a packed programme of festive events.

Chief Executive of The Scotch Whisky Experience awarded highest international honours in the whisky world

The Scotch Whisky Experience is proud to announce that Chief Executive Susan Morrison has been inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame,

DF Concerts & Events celebrates a year of sustainable and inclusive events

DF Concerts & Events is celebrating the success of their sustainability initiatives delivered across their major summer events in 2025.

Isaac McHale and Stuart Ralston Burns Night in Edinburgh

On Sunday 25th January, for one night only, Isaac McHale returns to his native Scotland for a Burns Night dinner with Stuart Ralston at his Michelin-starred Lyla.

Funded Debut Fringe for Scottish comedians returns for 2nd year

Scottish comedy producer Brass Tacks Comedy is once again offering one Scottish or Scotland-based comedian a funded Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut for 2026, supported by Red Bull UK.

Celebrate the New Year with a sparkling experience at The Ivy Edinburgh

With toasts to celebrate the new year breaking around the world, the experience is not to be missed!

Slice of kindness fuels staff at hub of Scottish charities

Staff at Norton Park in Leith, home to more than 20 charities, can now tuck into freshly made pizza with generous discounts, thanks to a local partnership with community-minded business, Pizza Geeks.

Big Fat Bingo of The Year shows announced

Christmas is coming in fast, and hot on its heels is the surreal, off-kilter period between Xmas and NYE... Bongo's Bingo have got just the tonic to help see out the final days of 2025!

Discover December Events at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

From Christmas events to Artist in Residence, discover Virgin Hotels Edinburgh's events taking place in this festive season!

Scottish jazz talent in tune as award winners unveiled

The Scottish Jazz Awards 2025 celebrated the cream of the crop in the jazz scene on Sunday night, honouring outstanding artists and contributors at a memorable ceremony in Glasgow.

Anna Campbell Jones launches small batch Scottish botanical rum distilled in Glasgow

Interior designer, BBC Scotland's Home of the Year judge and entrepreneur Anna Campbell-Jones has released her first spirit.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo appoints new Marketing Director

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has appointed Johna Penman as its Marketing Director, leading the organisation’s Brand, Box Office, Marketing and Communications functions.

Fingal Sails into Christmas Retaining Two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence

Christmas has come early for Scotland’s only five-star luxury floating hotel, Fingal, after retaining two prestigious Rosettes for culinary excellence

George Clooney returns to Edinburgh to speak at the 2026 British Business Awards and Social Bite Fundraising Dinner

The annual British Business Awards will take place on 30th April 2026 and will feature a special guest appearance and conversation with award-winning actor and humanitarian, George Clooney.

Helen Sharman and Hamza Yassin to appear at Edinburgh Science Festival 2026

The first British astronaut Helen Sharman and wildlife cameraman, presenter and author Hamza Yassin will headline Edinburgh Science Festival 2026 line-up.

10p pizzas from Civerinos as Deliveroo marks 10th Scottish anniversary

Raise a dram to a decade of Deliveroo: Civerinos and Deliveroo launch 10p pizzas to celebrate 10 years of feeding the people of Scotland.

Capital Theatres aims to share festive magic and wonder with a line up for everyone

Capital Theatres celebrates the festive season with entertainment for all ages, including enchanting magical family shows, world-class dance and a specially crafted Christmas Care Home Tour.

Lidl launching free gift wrapping stations across the UK

Lidl has unveiled its first-ever ‘Lidl Wrapped’ - a celebration of some of the nation's favourite buys, brought to life as limited-edition Christmas wrapping paper

Edinburgh brewery presents ultimate Christmas tipple for craft beer lovers

Christmas has come early for Scotland's beer fans following the release of a limited-edition craft ale from a leading Edinburgh microbrewery.

Meet Festive Film Favourites at Fort Kinnaird in December

Christmas is already in full swing at Fort Kinnaird, and the festivities are set to get even more magical as a line-up of much-loved characters visit the centre for the first time this December.

Edinburgh bar to raise Cash For Kids after Christmas nutcracker theft

Copper Blossom on George Street Edinburgh has launched a new festive cocktail in aid of a children’s charity following the theft of its eight-foot Christmas nutcracker statue.

Embrace the spirit of Christmas on International Volunteer Day

Christmas is a time for giving, and what better opportunity to discover new ways to give back to your community than on Friday 5th December, International Volunteer Day.

WIN! An Edinburgh Christmas Experience for 4

Heard the news? OMNi is inviting everyone to get into the festive spirit with an exclusive Christmas Prize Draw.

Dynamic Earth calls for support as Big Give Match Funding opens

Dynamic Earth has launched its 2025 Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign to boost STEM access for young people.

Ring in Hogmanay with darts, dancing, and bottomless pizza

If your New Year's resolution is to have more fun, start early at Flight Club!

Aldi colleague awarded medal from the King after fundraising efforts

An Aldi colleague based in Bathgate has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in recognition of her incredible fundraising efforts, helping to raise almost £50,000 for local charities.